Mandleshwar (Madhya Pradesh): Unabated encroachment of public land near the local post office continues in Mandleshwar as the administration watches helplessly. According to sources, despite higher authority’s intervention, the unabated grabbing of public land in Ward 2 by a land mafia group continues with the chief municipal officer (CMO) and naib tehsildar shirking responsibility on each other.
Traditionally, the city council, in coordination with the police force and the revenue team, has been tasked with addressing illegal encroachments within the city limits. Despite previous instances of swift action by CMO and naib tehsildar, both officials have now been seen passing the buck and shirking responsibility for addressing the encroachment issue.
CMO Shiv Arya initially appeared proactive in addressing the matter, even arriving with heavy machinery to remove the encroachment. However, following a request from the encroachers, Arya granted a 24-hour reprieve, which has inexplicably stretched into months. Arya has resorted to issuing repeated notices but has failed to take decisive action.
Naib tehsildar Pradeep Singlu, on the other hand, has pointed fingers at the municipal council, citing jurisdictional issues. Singlu maintains that since encroached land falls within the city limits, it is the responsibility of the civic body to take action against encroachment.
The situation has attracted the attention of higher authorities, with SDM Anil Kumar Jain issuing a letter directing CMO Arya to address the illegal encroachment based on formal complaints and media reports. Collector Karmaveer Sharma has also intervened, urging Arya to take swift action. Despite these directives, Arya's reluctance to act has raised serious questions about his commitment to upholding the law. The incident has sparked concerns over the efficacy of governance and police.
